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A Noble House Falls, The Tally-Ho Privateers Take To The Seas
'The King of Hearts' The sun was setting on the Venatien estate as Basil Trubshaw returned at the head of his elite guardsmen. The men were exhausted, but exhilarated as they marched through the great gates. It had been weeks since they had been able to return home, yet with the battle against the pirate armada that had sailed to their shores over they could finally return. Basil felt completely drained after his first major battle commanding a large force. Half of his force had been temporary conscripts from the civilian population and in more than one engagement he and his elites had been forced to take to the front lines into order to steady the units and drive back the pirates. He looked around at his battle hardened soldiers, there were only 15 of them, but they were without doubt the best warriors in the Britannian Army. They were worth easily ten times their number on the battlefield, but he could tell the fatigue was getting to them as they stumbled towards the main house. Basil: All right boys, nearly home. Let's party tomorrow, right now we all need sleep. Elites: Yes, sir! As he walked out into the great square in front of the main house, his battle instincts began screaming out from the back of his mind. Something was wrong, something was very wrong. He looked to the house and saw that none of the servants had come out to greet them, not even the families of his elites. The air felt heavy as if there It was then that he heard the distinctive click of flintlocks. Basil: SHIELDS OUT, RALLY SQUARE!! The elites were totally caught by surprise, but their training took over and instinctively they grabbed their shields whilst dropping into a kneeling square shape. Basil crouched in the centre as immediately the roar of countless rifles firing filled the night air. The volley had blasted out from all directions, but the shields held firm and the men survived. Basil's best man Sergeant McGovern looked back at his commander. Sergeant McGovern: Who are they sir? Basil: No idea, but they've got us pinned here. A familiar sneering voice wafted out from the front door of the estate, the voice was immediately recognisable to Basil as Damien Lucans. The eldest child of another noble family. Damien Lucans: Well, well, I suppose we should expect such from a Venatien. Oh, but you aren't a Venatien yet are you Trubshaw! Basil: What the hell do you think you're doing Lucans? You're whole family will hang for this treachery!! Damien: That's what you think Trubshaw, but the Lucans are not as foolish as you think. To the rest of the Kingdom this will be just the last act of an insane young commander before killing himself. Basil's rage was building, but his sense reigned in his urge to charge out and cut down the Lucans brat. Basil: Ha, one word from my family is all it will take to end you fools. Lucans: That's the beauty of it, with you gone there is no Venatien family. Even if you let you survive the entire kingdom will believe you slaughtered your own family in a blood drunk rage. A chill went down his spine, he could tell that the Lucans wasn't lying. His voice was far too self satisfied for that. He was the last of his line now and trapped like a rat in a trap. Sergeant McGovern: My Lord we must withdraw, we cannot win a fight like this. Basil: 'I know Sergeant, but I can't see a way out. If we move the square too fast they'll gun us down, if we break apart some of us will be gunned down. We're out of ammunition so we can't even fire back. ''Basil's mind was racing as he struggled to find the solution, the mistake that would give them a way to escape. As if on cue the moment presented itself. '''Lucans: Fix bayonets, finish them now! From all directions the clicking of metal could be heard as the Lucans soldiers fixed bayonets. Basil: BREAK RANKS, GET INSIDE! His elites forwards from the center of the square, drawing their swords and charging at the main house. Basil could see Damien Lucans turn and flee deeper into the house amd then be replaced by a rank of soldiers, leveling their guns as they stepped into the doorway. It could have been the end of them, but for the quick thinking of Sergeant McGovern who without a seconds hesitation raised his longsword and threw it end over end at the man in the center of their rank. The longsword skewered the man in the neck and the power behind the throw carried the man backwards knocking his allies off balance. The moment that they were off balance were all Basil and the other Elites needed. Basil: 'CRESCENT MOON FALL! ''Basil's blade swept down in a deadly arc slicing through the neck of the soldier on the far right, whilst the Elites cut down the remaining men. Sergeant McGovern was calling out orders as he tried to drag his longsword from the fallen soldier's neck. '''Sergeant McGovern: Horrace, Latimer, get that door shut. Davis, Jenkins clear the drawing room. The rest of you secure the perimeter. Basil left his men to their jobs and began applying his mind to his job. Namely finding a way out of their current predicament. The trap had been sprung almost flawlessly, his army was either returning to their homes after being released from conscription or at the barracks twenty miles away. Now he was a prisoner in his own home. Basil: Listen up guys, if we're going to get out of here we need ammunition. Without guns we're sitting ducks for them to just pick off. Latimer: Sir the door is locked, but it's not going to hold them for long. Davis: The drawing room is a wreck sir, it could easily be booby trapped if they were smart. Basil: We've got no choice if we stay on the ground floor we'll be swamped from all sides. Everyone up the stairs we can make a bottle neck at the top of them, cut down anyone who follows. His men sprinted up the stairs as the smashing at the main door got louder and louder. As they reached the top they could hear the frenzied shouts of the Lucans soldiers as they broke through the main door. Basil: Form a defence line out here, there's no direct line of fire it'll even the odds. There was a sudden noise behind them and the men rounded on it to see a young girl and a couple of elderly women. The maid staff of the house had survived and at their head stood a young girl with an ivory and gold pistol in each hand. Abigail was ready to fight. Basil: Thank the heavens, someone's alive. what happened? As his question was uttered the Lucans soldiers rushed the stairway, breaking into brutal hand to hand combat with the elites. Basil immediately grabbed Abigail and dragged her into a side room to safety. Abigail: I can fight, why are you..... Basil: Let the men do their jobs, they're trained their whole lives for this. As he spoke a a dozen bombs flew into the middle of the melee, Lucans obviously ordering his men to blow the enemy away. Sergeant Mcgovern saw that the danger and knew there was only one way out. Sergeant McGovern: Protect the Duke! His men rushed back into the doorway placing themselves between Basil and the bombs before he could do anything. Basil grabbed Abigail in an attempt to shield her, but Sergeant McGovern had other ideas. In the few seconds that followed he grabbed the pair and forcible threw them straight through the first floor window. The explosion caught Basil's back and carried the two straight into the tree that was twenty feet from the window. Dazed and caught in the branches he looked up at the house to see that the first floor was now engulfed in flames. His men were dead, the Lucans had no doubt already reported lies about him to the army so he had only one option left, to run, escape and survive. Lucans: Find Trubshaw's body and make sure he's dead! He suddenly felt a hand shake his shoulder and the familiar voice of Abigail, whisper in his ear. '' '''Abigail:' Basil, come on we can't stay here. We can still get away, but we've got to go now. The sight of a famliar face was exactly what his dazed mind needed at that moment and without a word he allowed himself to be led out of of the tree, through the bushes and off into the night. 'The Ace of Spades' Nine Months Later. The latest captain of the Britannian Guard, a broad shouldered man with brown, almost gingerish hair, faced his adversary over the long table, frowned momentarily as he studied the cards he held, then threw in another coin. Captain: 'You must be bluffing this time. I am certain of it. ''Across the table, his host Baron Montmorrency Winstanely, merely smiled, and took another sip of tea, matching the bet. 'Baron Winstanely: '''Are you now? Well, I suppose you are the detective. I would never have imagined that a member of my staff could be a criminal. Indeed, I still have my doubts. '''Captain: '''This household is the only place the villain could have run to. Nevertheless thank you for allowing my men to make search, and I must apologise if it has been inconveniant, Baron. '''Baron Winstanely: '''Call me John. And it is no significant inconveniance. It is my family's nature after all. ''The other players of the game, two more guardsmen and John's butler, each place their own bets, and the game continued. After a short while, the door opened and the remaining six guardsmen who had been conducting the search arrived. The man leading them turned to address the captain. 'Guard: '''Sir, we have completed our search, ignoring the state rooms as per your orders, and focusing on the servants. We have not yet found any evidence of the thief. '''John Winstanely: '''Again, I am unsurprised. I would not have hid anything where you searched. '''Captain: '''Oh? Ah of course, I forgot. You used to be part of the guard yourself weren't you? So where would you say we should look? '''John Winstanely: '''Well, My family honour would not permit me to frame anyone working for me in good faith, and it would be obvious you would check through the belongings of my staff anyway. Hiding something stolen would not be advisable if it were possible for it to be found anyway, since it immediately identifies it as stolen. So I would have hidden things in a concealed cache. One such compartment is built into the wall behind you, and would certainly suffice. Mr Borden, who you have met, installed it as a minor project one afternoon. You open it by pulling out a concealed pin in the doorframe, then turning the door handle the wrong way, while it's closed. I don't suppose you would care to check? ''The guards edged into the room and pulled the door shut, while one of them located the pin. Then, one grabbed the arched handle of the door they had entered by, and lifted. There was the faint rattle of a long lever moving behind the wall, and then a perfectly concealed patch of the upholstery came loose, and slid out to expose a small cupboard. There were several loose bags inside, but the captain's eyes were drawn to the painting resting against the back wall of the cramped space. 'Captain: '''That appears to be it. My appologies Baron, but it would appear that your butler did it. That painting was the one stolen from Duke Lucan. Men, arrest Mr Borden. '''John Winstanely: '''Now now, let us not be too hasty. Unlike me, Robert is no fool. He would not have concealed his ill-gotten gains in a compartment I know of, would he? '''Captain: '''Then who else could it be? '''John Winstanely: '''Is it not obvious? I am the felon. '''Captain: '''Right then, we'll go and search them as..... ''The captain slowly trailed off into silence. He looked at the baron 'John Winstanely: '''The fact you did not realise without my guidance is either amusing or troubling. I see the guard has suffered somewhat in my absence. '''Captain: '''Then why tell us now? surely you aren't merely going to- ''He stopped speaking again, a horrified expression crosses his face, and he gazes at the now empty teacups. 'John: '''Poisoning you would also violate my honour. And in any event only three of you have drunk any of the tea, as did I. Please think reasonably. ''The captain, failing to understand the baron's motives, fell back on his standard course of action and smiled grimly. 'Captain: '''Very well then. Baron Montmorrency Winstanely, you are under arrest. ''The grim smile was met by an amused one, which seemed even more intimidating nonetheless. John climbed slowly to his feet, and laid down his hand of cards. Several guard reached for sabers, somehow sensing that the baron was not about to surrender. 'Captain: '''What are you doing? Halt! '''John: '''Gentlemen, I'm afraid it's time to fold. ''The clatter of weapons imediately fell silent. Robert Borden, now the only other person in the room save John, rose from his seat and grabbed one of the playing cards as they fluttered down to the table. 'Borden: '''Three of clubs sir. '''John: '''Yes, I suspected he was bluffing. Now would be a good time to depart, do you not think? '''Borden: '''Well sir, I took the liberty of packing the suitcases, and ensured this morning that the ship was prepared for a quick departure. '''John: '''Well! I must commend you, Robert. It appears you have planned much further ahead than I. '''Robert: '''I knew it would come to this. Begging your pardon John, but wasn't that grand reveal of yours unecessarily foolish? '''John: '''Yes indeed. Quite possibly the most foolish thing I have done since we began this misadventure. But I always was a high roller, and my hidden Ace served me well again. ''As they spoke he lifted a long wooden case from the concealed compartment, paused to open it and check its contents, and then somehow, impossibly, slid the entire length into his coat where it seemed to vanish. That done, he swept up his top hat from the table, placed it on his head with a slight flourish, and took his cane back as the buttle handed it to him. 'Robert: '''More like a joker if you ask me sir. How long do we have before they get back? '''John: '''About ten minutes. If you could find Esme and meet me at the jetty shortly. There may well be another hand to play.. ''With that, the conspiritors ran from the room. '''The Princess of .... Wait... That's no card!? Category:Kai-De-Avalon Category:1NF3RNO Category:13th Madman Category:Collaboration Category:Stories